Anolis ernestwilliamsi

Anolis ernestwilliamsi, also known commonly as the Carrot Rock anole, Carrot Rock's anole, and Ernest's anole, is a species of lizard in the family Dactyloidae. The species is endemic to the British Virgin Islands.^[2]

Anolis ernestwilliamsi
Conservation status
Critically Endangered  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Suborder:	Iguania
Family:	Dactyloidae
Genus:	Anolis
Species:	A. ernestwilliamsi
Binomial name
Anolis ernestwilliamsi Lazell, 1983
Synonyms[2]
Ctenonotus ernestwilliamsi (Lazell, 1983)

Taxonomy

Anolis ernestwilliamsi was first formally described in 1983 by the American zoologist James D. Lazell Jr. with its type locality given as Carrot Rock, south of Peter Island, in the British Virgin Islands. This species is in the A. cristatellus species complex.^[2] The Carrot Rock anole is very closely related to A. cristatellus and molecular studies suggest that there is almost no difference in the mitochondrial DNA between A. ernestwilliamsi and haplotypes of other Puerto Rico Bank island populations of A. cristatellus, indicating that two taxa share a very recent common ancestor. Although A. ernestwilliamsi has a phenotype which is consistently different from other populations of A. cristatellus, this is rather limited and, it has been suggested, there is not enough of a difference, especially in the high degree of genetic similarity, and given that A. cristatellus is a very variable species all give support to the idea that this is not a distinct species.^[3]

Etymology

The specific name, ernestwilliamsi, is in honor of American herpetologist Ernest Edward Williams.^[4]

Description

Anolis ernestwilliamsi is a large member of the A. cristatellus species group growing to a SVL of at least 82 mm (3.2 in) with smaller scales and larger digital pads than the related species. The colour differs to, they have a clear black, grey and white barred or reticulated pattern on the chin, which in the males extends onto teh front part of the chin flap, there is a bold pattern ofpale spits in the upper body, merging to form stripes towards the tail and there is a pale-edged dark bar on each hip.^[5]

Geographic range

A. ernestwilliamsi is known only from Carrot Rock, which is an islet south of Peter Island, in the British Virgin Islands.^[1][2]

Habitat

The preferred natural habitat of A. ernestwilliamsi is shrubland, at 6–28 m (20–92 ft) above sea level.^[1]

Behavior

A. ernestwilliamsi is terrestrial and saxicolous (rock dwelling).^[1]

Reproduction

A. ernestwilliamsi is oviparous.^[2]